Jogger mechanisms



H. w. FAEBER 2,853,298

JOGGER MECHANISMS Sept. 23, 1958 Filed NOV. 21, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVEN TOR. HARRY W. FAEBER fwwilmm iwi 4/5 A TTOQNEYJ.

Sept. 23, 1958 H. w. FAEBER 2,853,298

' JOGGER MECHANISMS Filed Nov. 21, 1955 2 SheetsSheet 2 INVENTOR. HARRYFAEBER United States Patent O JOGGER MECHANISMS Harry W. Faeber,Larchmont, N. Y., assignor to Time, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application November 21, 1955, Serial No.547,936

6 Claims. (Cl. 271-87) This invention relates to a delivery mechanismwherein printed sheets or signatures are assembled and aligned side byside on a moving platform to facilitate subsequent handling.

Mechanism of this general organization has been heretofore proposed, butdifficulty has been encountered, principally in the alignment orsquaring of the signatures so that their edges are substantially even.The jogging of the signatures to properly align them relative to eachother is at present ordinarily done by hand. However, as press speedsincrease, it is becoming more and more difficult and costly to providesufficient manpower for this purpose.

The object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide amechanism for automatically stacking in the manner stated and joggingthe signatures to facilitate the subsequent handling thereof,particularly after the printing and folding of the signatures.

According to the present invention, after the folding operation thesignatures are carried in overlapping fashion by a moving conveyor whichapproaches the moving platform upon which the signatures are to bestacked at a somewhat higher level than the platform. When the conveyoris in proximity to the receiving end of the moving platform, theconveyor travels around a curved guide which deflects the signaturescarried by the conveyor toward the receiving end of the moving platform.To prevent the signatures from slipping relative to one another due tothe effect of gravity, which slippage could break the continuity in theoverlapping relationship of the signatures, the signatures are engagedby an upper moving belt as they are deflected around the curved guide.The signatures are then directed in a substantially vertical plane withthe leading edges thereof coming into contact with the moving platform.Because of the overlapping relationship of the signatures, they dropdown on to the moving platform one behind another in succession.

Although at a high level above the moving platform slippage of thesignatures relative to one another is undesirable, the relative movementtherebetween is desirable at a lower level to insure that the bottomedges of all of the signatures fall into registered contact with theplatform. To facilitate this relative movement, a vibrating device isprovided to jog the signatures just before they come into contact withthe moving platform in order to loosen and reduce the friction betweenadjacent signatures.

In the event that the aforesaid jogging operation is not completelyeffective in bringing the lower edges of the signatures into registeredcontact with the moving platform, still another vibrating device isprovided at the receiving end of the moving platform. This vibratingdevice vibrates the moving platform and has an additional jogging actionon the signatures received thereon to insure that the lower edgesthereof fall into registration with the platform.

The present invention also is equipped with an up- 2,853,298 PatentedSept. 23, 1958 "ice standing yielding retainer or end support whichengages and supports the leading signature assembled on the movingplatform. This retainer end support gradually yields under the influenceof the incoming signatures that are received on the moving platform,however, the end support is maintained in contact with the leadingsignature in the assembled group by means which urges the end support ina retrogressive direction.

The signatures are thus assembled and advanced by the moving, platformin stacked array, and as the signatures are transported toward thedischarge end of the platform the side edges of the signatures thereonare engaged by moving belts which have a jogging action on thesignatures.

As the leading signatures approach the discharge end of the movingplatform, groups of the signatures may be removed by hand or othersuitable means. To facilitate the removal of the signatures, theyielding retainer or end support is pivoted at its lower end. Of course,as a group of signatures is removed from the moving platform, theretrogressive movement of the end support brings it into contact withthe leading signature remaining on the platform to maintain it inupstanding position.-

Should the supply of signatures delivered to the moving. conveyor beinterrupted for any reason, such as by stoppage of the press or thefolding mechanism, all of the signatures, including the last onedelivered by the press, will be properly jogged, delivered to the movingplatform and started on their way towards the discharge end thereof. Toprevent the last received signatures from falling backwadly due to thebreak in the continuous feeding of the signatures to the platform,spring urged latch means are provided adjacent both sides of the movingplatform to fall into position behind the last signature assembled forthe support thereof. This movement of the spring urged latch means alsoactuates a switch which stops the. further advance of the. movingplatform and, if desired, the other operating parts of, the mechanism.

In. one embodiment of the present invention, the conveyor which carriesthe signatures in overlapping fashion toward the receiving end of themoving platform and the moving platform move in opposite directions, oneabove the other, saving considerable floor space. This arrangement isparticularly feasible when the signatures are delivered by the foldingmechanism to the conveyor in overlapping fashion with the leading edgesof each signature above the precedingsignature. In stillv anotherembodiment, the operative lengths of the feed conveyor and the movingplatform travel in the same direction. This arrangement occupies greaterfloor space, however, it is preferred in situations where the signaturesare delivered by the folding mechanism to the feed conveyor with theleading edge of each signature beneath the preceding signature.

For a complete understanding of the present invention reference may behad to the detailed description which follows and to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side: elevation of the mechanism of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of certain parts thereof;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of another embodiment of the presentinvention; and

Figure 4 is a plan view of certain parts thereof.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, a feed conveyor 10 carries aplurality of signatures s thereon in overlapping fashion with theleading edge of each signature overlapping above the precedingsignature. The conveyor belt 10 passes downwardly around the curvedsurface of a shoe 11 of semi-circular cross-section, and the feedconveyor 10 engages a portion of the periphery of a rotat- 3 ing roller12 before beginning its return journey. The flattened base of thesemi-circular guide shoe 11 makes it possible to reduce the totalvertical height of the mechanism, while still providing a large radiusof curvature around which the succession of signatures may be guided.

As the signatures encounter the curved surface of the shoe 11, they areengaged from above by a moving belt or tape 14 which passes around.rolls 15, 16 and 17. The belt 14 moves at substantially the same rate oftravel as the conveyor 10, and its helps in guiding the signaturesaround the curved surface of the shoe 11. Also, the belt 14 forms arestricted passage for the signatures as they begin their downwardtravel toward the moving platform 18 on which they are to be assembled,which restricted passage prevents the signatures from prematurelyslipping relatively to each other due to the effect of gravity. Theguide 19 disposed beneath the shoe 11 also helps to maintain thesignatures in pressure contact with the belt 14 for this purpose.

When, however, the signatures near the platform 18, slippage between thesignatures is essential to insure that the leading lower edges thereofcome into registered contact with the upper surface of the movingplatform 18. For this reason, a vibrating device 20 having arms 21extending therefrom for the support of a plurality of shafts 23 whichcarry rolls 22 thereon is interposed adjacent the vertically disposedportion of the belt 14. The vibrator 20 imparts vibration to the rolls22, and the rolls 22 jog the falling signatures to loosen and facilitatethe separation therebetween so that the overlapping signatures will beable to slide relative to each other.

The roll 17 around which the belt 14 passes is supported at oppositeends of a pair of vertically disposed levers 24 which are pivotallymounted on a shaft 25. A rod 26 is pivotally connected to the upper endof at least one of the levers 24, and the rod is guided for a slidablemovement within a slot formed in a fixed bracket 27. The rod 26 carriesa compression spring 28 thereon which is interposed between the bracket27 and a collar 29 of the rod and the spring 28 serves to urge theroller 17 into contact with the belt 14 to maintain the belt undertension. I

The roller 16 is supported between downwardly disposed levers 24amounted on the shaft 25.. A rod 30 is pivotally connected to the lowerend of at least one of the levers 24a, and the rod passes through anopening in a fixed bracket 31. The end of the rod 30 is threaded andcarries locking nuts 32 thereon disposed on opposite sides of thebracket 31. By adjusting the position of the nuts 32 on the rod 30, itis possible to adjust the position of the lower rolls 16 relative to thereceiving end of the moving platform 18.

at its discharge end. The signatures thus assembled continuously onebehind another on the moving platform 18 are transported in a leftwarddirection, as viewed in Figure 1, toward the discharge end of theplatform. While so transported, the signatures move between a pair ofjogger belts 34, 35 which are adjacent and in contact with the sideedges of the signatures. The jogger belts 34, 35 pass around verticallydisposed rolls 36 at each end thereof. Rolls 36 are formed with flanges36a to retain the jogger belts. The portions of the belts 34, 35 whichengage the side edges of'the signatures are driven substantially at thesame rate of travel as the moving platform 18. Although the side edgesof the signatures assembled on the moving platform are in substantialalignment before being received thereby, these moving belts 34, 35 havea jogging effect on the signatures, and they help in further aligningthe side edges, of the signatures. This effect is accomplished by'sospacing rolls 36 as to slightly squeeze the signatures, and by drivingthe belts 34, 35 at slightly lower speed than belt 18, which tends toarch the signatures in the middle and 4 thus lends them verticalrigidity, also facilitating the vertical jogging action of vibrator 20to be described presently.

In the event that the vibrator 20 is not completely effective ininsuring the registration of the lower edges of the signatures on themoving platform 18, another vibrating device 40 is provided beneath thereceiving end of the platform 18 to jog the signatures.

The signatures at the head of the stacked array are supported in uprightposition by a retainer or end support 41 which yields in the directionof the discharge end of the platform as the signatures move in thatdirection. The retainer or end support 41 is pivotally mounted at itslower end to a horizontal member 42 having small rollers 43 at each endthereof which are guided in a pair of guideways 44. The one end of thehorizontal member 42 is connected to a flexible chain 45 which passesaround a pulley 46 and is attached at its opposite end to acounterweight 47. The retainer 41, therefore, yields in a leftwarddirection under the influence of the signatures which are transported bythe moving platform 18. However, the retainer or end support 41 is urgedin the opposite direction for retrogressive movement by thecounterweight 47.

The signatures at the head of the stacked array may be removed in groupsat the discharge end of the platform 18 by hand or by other suitablemeans. Accordingly, to facilitate the removal of these signatures, theretainer 41, although normally urged by a spring 49 into contact withthe leading signature on the platform, is capable of being pivoted in acounterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 1. As soon as a group ofsignatures is removed from the platform, the retainer 41 will bepivotally returned to upstanding position by the spring 49 and, inaddition, it will be translated in a retrogressive direction by thecounterweight 47 into contact with the leading signature remaining onthe platform 18.

As best shown in Figures 1 and 2, a pair of sheet retaining members orlatches 50 are provided at the receiving end of the platform 18, one oneach side thereof. The latches 50 are each mounted at the upper end of avertically disposed shaft 51, and the lower end of the shaft carries anarm 52 which is acted upon by a spring 53. The springs 53 serve to urgethe latch members 50 to the positions shown in solid lines in Figure 2to lock the last signature to be assembled in upstanding position. Thesignatures, however, are continuously brushing past the latch members50, maintaining the latch members in the positions indicated by thebroken lines in Figure 2, in which positions the arms 52 at the lowerend of the shaft are maintained in contact with a microswitch 55. Shouldthe stream of signatures past the latch members 50 be interrupted, suchas by the stoppage of the press or the folding mechanism, the feedconveyor 10 will continue to advance the signatures received thereby andthe belt 14 will continue to operate in assembling the signatures on themoving conveyor 18 until all of the signatures, in-

cluding the very last one, are delivered to the platform 4 18 and lockedin front of the latch members 50. As the last signature passes the latchmembers 50, they will snap into the position shown in solid lines, andthe microswitch 55 will be actuated to stop the feed conveyor 10, thebelt 14 and the moving platform 18. The latches 50, of course, serve toprevent the last signature to be assembled from falling back toward thebelt 14, thereby maintaining a free passage for additional signatures tobe delivered to the moving platform 18 when the press resumes operationwithout danger of a choke-up at the receiving end of the platform. Itmay be mentioned at this point that it is a function of the vibratingdevice 20 to insure that the last signature in line is advanced beyondthe latch members 50 so as to be engaged thereby. In the drawings thehorizontal distance between the vibrator 20 and the retainer face of thelatch 50 was increased beyond the actual distance for the sake ofclarity.

The embodiment of the invention described above is employedadvantageously in situations wherein the signatures are delivered to theconveyor with the leading edge of each signature above and overlappingthe signature beneath it. The embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4,however, is employed advantageously where the signatures are deliveredto the moving conveyor 10 with the leading edge of each signaturedisposed beneath the preceding signature.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 3 and 4, the feedconveyor 10 delivers the signatures to a rotating drum 60, the outerperiphery of which serves the same function as the curved shoe 11 of theembodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2. The conveyor 10 also engagesrollers 61, 62, 63 and 64 before beginning its return journey. A belt 65engages the upper sides of the signatures and deflects them downwardlyaround the curved periphery of the rotating drum 60 toward the movingplatform 18. In this embodiment, however, it is the feed conveyor 10which guides the signatures in their downward travel toward the movingplatform 18.

As in the previous embodiment, the signatures moving downwardly towardthe upper level of the moving platform 18 are jogged by a plurality ofrolls 22 which are connected to and vibrated by a vibrating device 20.The roller 16, around which the belt 65 travels at its lowermost point,is disposed well above the upper edges of the signatures when they aresupported on the platform 18 to permit the signatures to be advancedbeneath the belt 65. Except for the differences aforesaid, theembodiment of the invention shown in Figures 3 and 4 is identical tothat already described in connection with Figures 1 and 2.

The invention has been shown in preferred forms only and by way ofexample, and obviously many variations and modifications may be madetherein without departing from the spirit of the invention. Theinvention, therefore, is not to be limited to any specified form orembodiment, except in so far as such limitations are set forth in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. Delivery mechanism for stacking sheets comprising a moving platformfor receiving the sheets side by side thereon, a conveyor disposed abovethe moving platform for transporting the sheets in overlapping fashiontoward the receiving end of the moving platform, curved guide means fordeflecting the conveyor and the sheets carried thereby downwardly towardthe receiving end of the moving platform, a driven belt engaging theopposite sides of the sheets as they are deflected by the curved guidemeans, guide means extending downwardly from the curved guide meanstoward the moving platform and means for vibrating said downwardlyextending guide means, thereby jogging the sheets as they are movingdownwardly toward the moving platform to facilitate relative movement ofthe sheets so that the leading edges of the sheets will be assembled onthe platform in registered contact with the platform.

2. Delivery mechanism as set forth in claim 1 including retaining meansadjacent both sides of the receiving end of the moving platform,yielding to permit a sheet to pass therebetween and closing behind thesheet to maintain the sheet in upright position, and a switch actuatedby the movement of the retaining means to closed position, the actuationof said switch stopping the movement imparted to the platform before thelast sheet passing said retaining means is displaced too great adistance from the retaining means.

3. Delivery mechanism as set forth in claim 1 including vibrating meansdisposed beneath the receiving end of the moving platform to jog thesheets into registered contact with the platform.

4. Delivery mechanism as set forth in claim 1 including moving beltsadjacent both sides of the moving platform to engage and jog the sideedges of the sheets carried by the platform.

5. Delivery mechanism for stacking sheets comprising a moving platformfor receiving the sheets side by side thereon, a conveyor disposed abovethe moving platform for transporting the sheets in overlapping fashiontoward the receiving end of the moving platform, curved guide means fordeflecting the conveyor and the sheets carried thereby downwardly towardthe receiving end of the moving platform, a driven belt engaging theopposite sides of the sheets as they are deflected by the curved guidemeans, means intermediate the curved guide means and the moving platformfor jogging the sheets as they are moving downwardly toward the movingplatform to facilitate relative movement of the signatures so that theleading edges of the signatures will be assembled on the platform inregistered contact with the platform, and retaining means for supportingthe leading sheet assembled on the moving platform in upright positionon the platform, said retaining means being yieldable in a forwarddirection.

6. Delivery mechanism as set forth in claim 5 including means forsupporting the sheet retaining means, means for guiding said supportmeans for forward and retrograde movement, a pivot carried by thesupport means for pivoting the sheet retaining means out of contact withthe leading sheet in the stacked array, thereby facilitating the removalof a group of signatures from the platform, and spring means forpivotally urging the sheet retaining means into contact with the leadingsheet in the stacked array.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,586,544 White June 1, 1926 1,991,411 Novick Feb. 19, 1935 2,087,704Potdevin July 20, 1937 2,140,112 v Novick Dec. 13, 1938 2,712,141 SiebJuly 5, 1955

